Welcome to 2024! Is it too late to say Happy New Year? If not, Happy New Year!
I think it is going to be an interesting year – lots of last year’s headaches are still here (cost of living, Covid, etc) and as it’s a General Election year, then there will be a whole new dimension of interest, hence our reference to the new election campaigning code. We have a duty to amplify the voices of our beneficiaries, but we need to do it in the right way.
At Surrey Community Action, we are running at full tilt again. As well as our usual projects and services, we are running a new project called “Research Ready Surrey”. We know that clinical and social researchers sometimes struggle to engage certain audiences in their research, but that research can prove vital to addressing health and social problems, and a lot of that research data already exists in our collective consciousnesses. Amongst Surrey’s amazing voluntary sector, there is a mountain of data, evidence and insight into the people you work with, insight that can be used to improve lives. Finding ways to make sure that the NHS and others are aware of this insight is what Research Ready Surrey is all about – If we can empower both Surrey’s voluntary sector and the NHS to gather and share data more effectively, and help the NHS appreciate the wealth of research skills already represented among us, what couldn’t we achieve to improve the lives of the people we support? I also know that we can be quite modest as a sector, and might not realise the breadth and depth of insight (I’m using that word a lot today!) we hold.
Finally, there is one bit of very mixed news that some of you may already know. Saba Hussain, formerly Principal Partnerships Policy & Commissioning Lead at Surrey County Council, has moved on. Saba has been a passionate supporter of Surrey’s voluntary sector for over 18 years, and it has been my profound pleasure to work with her for the last 10+ years. During that time, I have come to appreciate and rely on her support, intelligence and insight (there’s that word again!) and it is such a shame that Surrey is losing her. Our loss is London Ambulance Service’s gain and I’m sure everyone who has worked with Saba will wish her every success in her new role.
